Nasal masks are commonly used in the treatment of respiratory conditions and sleep disorders (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea) by delivering a flow of breathable gas for, or to assist patient respiration. These nasal masks typically receive a gas supply line which delivers gas into a chamber formed by walls of the mask. The walls usually are semi-rigid and have a face contacting portion including an aperture which is aligned with the wearer's nostrils. The face contacting portion can comprise a soft, resilient elastomeric material which may conform to various facial contours. The mask normally is secured to the wearer's head by straps. The straps are adjusted to pull the mask against the face with sufficient force to achieve a gas tight seal between the mask and the wearer's face. Gas is thus delivered to the mask and through the aperture to the wearer's nasal passages.
Problems often arise with masks of the above configuration. For example, the mask may be dislodged, thereby breaking the seal between the mask and wearer. This may occur if the wearer rolls over when sleeping thereby creating a drag force on the gas supply line which is transmitted to the mask, breaking the seal. In the case of a mask being used for the administration of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment for the condition obstructive sleep apnea, such a leak can result in the pressure supplied to the entrance of the wearer's airway being below the therapeutic value, and the treatment becoming ineffective.
Another problem is that the face contacting portion may apply excessive pressure to the wearer's face resulting in discomfort and possibly skin irritation. This excessive forces. In some cases these excessive pressures and forces may cause the face to distort to conform with the face contacting portion to increase wearer discomfort, facial soreness and ulceration.
Other types of devices exist whereby small nostril nosepieces (pillows) are held in place by a harness strapped over the wearer's head, for example as shown in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,832. While this arrangement may alleviate some problems regarding seal breakage and skin abrasion, the harnesses associated with such devices are quite cumbersome for the wearer, as are the gas supply lines. Also, air ‘jetting’ into the nostrils can be irritating to the patient making such devices generally uncomfortable to use.
In FIGS. 1–3, a prior art nasal cushion 10, generally equivalent to that shown in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,971, is first described.
As shown, the cushion 10 generally includes a base 11 from which depends a semi-rigid cushion frame 12 formed of elastomeric material. Attached over the outside of the frame 12 is a membrane 15, also of elastomeric material, having at its distal end a face contacting portion 14. The frame 12 and the membrane 15 generally form a chamber 17 into which the wearer's nose can be received. The frame 12 has a notch 19 to accommodate the bridge of the wearer's nose. The base 11 includes slots 13 to accommodate straps (not shown) to secure the cushion 10 and a mask body (not shown) in combination to the wearer's head.
An aperture 16 is formed at the end of the membrane 15 distal from the frame 12 providing access for a wearer's nose 20 to the chamber 17 as noted. As shown, the aperture 16 in an unflexed state is generally circular (or elliptical) and is large enough to allow partial entry of the wearer's nose. The resilience of the membrane material allows the face contacting portion 14 and the aperture 16 to invert when the nose is received. The inverted membrane arrangement relies upon a positive pressure of supplied gas within the mask to effect a seal to the wearer's face. The seal is characterised as a “rolling edge seal”, in that there can be motion of the cushion 10 relative to the patient's face yet the seal is maintained. Even so, a tuck 22 arises in the vicinity of the upper lip due to the circular shape of the aperture, and it is from this tuck that leaks can arise due to head and body movement during sleep.
It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate one or more of the foregoing disadvantages.